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Annandale Improvement Club
History Timeline 1898-2009


This timeline was created for a presentation to Annandale's History Club in April of 2009.  The presenters were Improvement Club members Rose Mary Nelson and Jill Bishop.

1898

  • Seventeen women met, formed Improvement Society
  • Entertainment at each meeting
  • Town Hall dedicated
  • 1st project: piano for Town Hall

1899

  • Organized Library Association; Member dues 25 cents, Outsiders $1.
  • Library opened in Town Hall with 317 books
  • New name: Improvement Club & Library Association

1900s

  • 1901, 60 members; 500 books in library
  • Mayor asked library to have Reading Room and Boys Club
  • 1903 Telephone installed for librarian
  • 1905 Flowers planted in the park
  • 1906 1st Industrial Fair
  • No books collected from homes with Scarlet Fever
  • 1908 Well put in park
  • 1909  $10 fine imposed for removal of piano from Town Hall

1910s

  • First vote for Public Library; 4 yes, 7 no.
  • $29.28 Red Cross donation
  • Sent books to boys in the service
  • 1918 Summer librarian hired, $1./mo.

1920s

  • Installed flower bed at Depot
  • Saturday librarian salary, 50 cents
  • 1922 Library moved to former school building, remained there 82 years
  • 1923 Flora Kurz became librarian

1930s

  • Joined Horticulture Society.
  • Decorator from Daytons hired to decorate library
  • Name became Annandale Improvement Club
  • 1939 Pledge to flag at each meeting
  • Library cards free to public
  • Library had 1578 books
  • Christmas baskets for needy families

1940s

  • Sent books to boys in the service
  • Library available to Red Cross for making bandages
  • Purchased ten shade trees for fireplaces in park.
  • Hesitated to put questionable book East Side, West Side in library

1950s

  • Toured Nicollet Hotel; lunch at Waikiki Room
  • 1958 Flora Kurz, 35 yrs as librarian
  • 1959, June flower sales presented by Julia Barkley
  • Assisted Commercial Club with July 4th events
  • Lunch raised to 25 cents

1960s

  • 1960 Sold Recipe Book sells for 50 cents
  • Purpose of Club read to open meetings
  • Librarian paid $31/month
  • 1965 Doris Kalash took over as librarian from Neva Peterson
  • Dues raised to $1.
  • Commissioned Mrs. Dawson to paint Flower Sale to be placed in library
  • 1969 Library became part of Great River Regional Library

1970s

  • Held a Tour of Homes with  proceeds going to Medical Clinic
  • 1976 Kitchen Secrets yellow cookbook
  • 1976 Sandy Otto became librarian
  • Discontinued Library Board
  • Discontinued sponsorship of Girl Scouts
  • Village Council moved, gave council rooms to Improvement Club to expand library
  • Meetings held in library and in homes
  • 1978 Discontinued flower sales on Saturdays

1980s

  • Dues $1.50 annually; membership in the 50s
  • Added ramp and book drop to library
  • Started selling book tote bags; continued selling cookbooks and wreaths
  • Supported Bloodmobile and pre-school testing

1990s

  • 1991 Kitchen Secrets II cookbook
  • 1997 Provided funds for public Internet in library
  • Meetings held in Centennial Villa, Park Pavilion, and Southbrook
  • 1997 1st catered lunches
  • 1998 Improvement Club website

2000s

  • 2001 1st meeting at Reichels
  • 2002 1st participation in Business Expo
  • 2004 Library moved to new building
  • Computers purchased for library
  • 2004 Dues increased to $25
  • 2004 1st Member Directory
  • 2007 Started meeting 12 months/year
  • 2008  One hundred members

-Jill Bishop, 2009